peters



- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2, S. S. LAWS. I

Printing Telegraph I Patented Jan. 25, 1870.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

SAMUEL S. LAYVS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE GOLD AND STOCK TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

EMPROVEMENT IN PRlNTlNG-TELEGRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 99,273, dated January 25, 1570.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. Laws, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Telegraphic Printing Apparatus; and l-do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, referenccbeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which drawings I Figure 1 represents an elevation of that side of my apparatus which contains the type wheel, the inking-tape, the printing-lever,and mechanism for feeding the paper. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the opposite side of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of this apparatus Fig. at is a plan or top view thereof. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the electrical connections between the battery and the various parts of my apparatus.

Similarletters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to certain improvemenls on that class of electrical instruments which I have described in Letters Patent granted to me December 31, 1867, and for which the application was tiled in the United States Patent Office December 6, 1866, and also in Letters Patent granted to me March 24, 1868; and the object of my present improvements is in part to provide certain simple and novel means wherebyletters, figures, or other characters can be printed and impressed upon paper or other suitable material from a type-wheel ordenoting device,t0 which advance and retrograde movements can be imparted at pleasure for the purpose of readily and quickly bringing any desired type upon said type-wheel in proper relation to a platen or printing-lever for taking impressions from it, and it is especially designed to operate a number of these instruments in unison with or without local batteries.

My present improvement further provides for communicating any intelligence whatever, but especially for quoting the prices of gold,

stocks, or other articles which fluctuate by -iig'ht-hs, by furnishing the type-wheel with the lractions t, i, t, it, 2-, and which represent these fluctuations, in combination with the ten digits and all the letters of the alphabet and other suitable characters. It also provides for operating the platen or printing-learbor to the inking-ribbon, so that freshlyinked surfaces will be constantly brought opposite the types from which it is desired to take impressions; further, for keeping the inkingribbons smooth and under proper tension, at the same time allowing it to be moved freely either forward or backward, as may be required; also, for regulating the tension of the paper and for printing in succession and interspaeing the characters by moving the paper on which the impressions are made suitable distances by and simultaneously with the reciprocating action of the printing lever; further, for so delivering the paper on which the impressions are made that each character printed will be exposed to view in a more convenient and immediatemanner than heretofore; also, for adjusting each end of the printing-lever, so as to bring the armature of the printing-magnet in the proper position, and also the upper end of said lever into suitable relation to the periphery of the typewheel, the platen-roller itself being also adjustable with reference to the faces of the types, so as to obtain an even and full impression; further, for a dial orindicatingdisk upon the side of the type-wheel and for a stationary pointer before said disk, so that when said disk is properly adjusted the pointer will always point to and indicate upon the disk that character upon the type-wheel which is in proper position opposite the platen to give an impression, thereby enabling one to read off upon the indicating-disk any message received or sent simultaneously with the printing of such message; also, for working up the type wheel to a given character automatically by a means of the stop-lever, andif several machines are on the same circuit, and operated simultaneously, for bringing them into unison at pleasure; also, for employing each of the type-wheel circuits as a pri nting-circuit for the other, so that when the instrument is equipped with three magnetsone for the advance movement, a second for the retrograde movement, and a third for printing-the printing can be done at pleasure with any one of the three magnets, the current in all cases being distinctly separated from the one that operates the type-wheel. The interior numbers on the disk, from 1 to 24, have relation to the position of the traveling spring of the circuitchanger shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings; and I will here remark that this device, in combination with certain receiving-instruments, will be embodied in an application for a distinct patent.

In the accompanying drawings,the letter A represents the frame of my apparatus, and this frame forms the bearings for the shaft H, on one end of which is mounted the type-wheel H. This type-wheel consists of a circular plate or disk having types of suitable letters, numerals, fractions, or other characters upon its periphery, properly arranged, spaced, and constructed, so that each one will give a separate and distinctimpression, and said typewheel is situated on the outside of the frame A, so that its face is fully exposed to view. 011 this face is secured a disk, S, having characters printed, or otherwise produced, upon it in a circle corresponding to the characters on the types, but so situated in relation to a stationary pointer, 19*, that if said pointer stands over the letter V, for instance, the type carrying the letter V on the type-wheel will be opposite the platen d, and that by these means the operator is enabled to read off dur- 'iug the operation from the letters on the disk S the message which he transmits or receives. The construction of the platen d and its op eration will be hereinafter explained.

The motion of the type-wheel is effected by means of two spring-pawls, p p, which act against a spurred or right and left ratchetwheel, M, which is keyed upon the arbor H of the type-wheel. Said pawls are secured on the upper ends ofthe vibratingleversJ .1, (see Fig. 3,) which extend from the armatures Gr G*, and they are arranged in such a manner that whenever the armature G* is attracted by its electro-magnet G the wheel M will be propelled in one direction, and when the armature Gr is attracted by its electro-magnet G the wheel M is caused to move in the opposite direction. By these means an advance and retrograde movement can be imparted to the type-wheel H, and thereby the operation of bringingjany desired character upon said vheel opposite to the platen is materially fa- 'ilitated.

The construction of the pawlspp and their onnection to the armature-levers is fully dei:ibed in my patent of December 31, 1867 ,and

I do not therefore repeat it here, and I desire to claim in this present application only the combination of a mechanism with the typewheel, which enables me to move said typewheel readily in either direction and to retain it firmly in the desired position for the purpose of taking the impression.

A single magnet placed in an electrical circuit and provided with an armature upon an arm carrying a pawl and acting on a ratchetwheel would, as is well known, give to a typewheel an intermittent rotary motion in one direction, as would also a clock-train operated upon by a magnet-pallet; butit is obvious that the characters upon a type wheel thus moved could not be brought in proper position for taking impressions from them with the desired rapidity and convenience which is afforded by the use of means, substantially such as described, which will impart to the type-wheel the advance and retrograde movements, such movements being deemed of special value in reporting fluctuations of markets and exchanges, such as those of gold. and stocks, produce, and the like. If, for instance, the

,operator has printed and the type-wheel remains still in position, and he wants to print r, it will only be necessary to go back one step from tto instead of traveling forward entirely around until he comes to t, and so in printing words and numbers, and especially if in the hurry of the operation he has gone one step too far in one direction, it is only necessary to retrace that step instead of working the type-wheel clear round. Moreover, should anything happen to disable one of the typewheel circuits the other will remain sound and capable of operating the type-wheel,

though more slowly, and thus this double provision may prove a valuable alternative in local telegraph-lines, for which this instrument is especially designed.

The types on the type-wheel are supplied with ink by means of an endless ribbon, f, which is stretched over the flanged drum F and flanged guide-rollers F F and held under tension by the flanged ink-fountain F. The drum Fis geared together with the type-wheel shaft H by a train of cog-wheels, so that the inking-ribbon is caused to move in either direction with the type-wheel, and consequently freshly-inked surfaces of said ribbon are brought opposite to the types for each new impression.

The ribbon is supplied with ink from the ink-fountain F, which consists of a hollow drum perforated on its periphery-and covered by a strip of. felt or other clot-h, which prevents the ink from running out of the fountain any quicker than desirable. (See Fig. 1.) Said ink-fountain has its bearing on a pin secured in an arm, F*, which is pivoted to the frame A, so that the weight of the fountain itself will produce the desired tension of the inkingribbon; and ifthis weight should be too great it can readily be relieved by a spring. By unscrewing the pivot of the arm the inkfountain can readily be taken off for the purpose of introducing a fresh supply of ink.

The guide-rollers F F are so arranged with relation to the type-wheel and platen that the inking-ribbon is caused to extend down between those parts in nearly a vertical plane,

and the guide-roller Fis secured to the frame A by means of an arm, which can be made to swing toward or from the type-wheel, and by these means the inking-ribbon can be adjusted in the desired relation toward the type-wheel. I will now proceed to describe the manner of actuating the platen for taking impressions from the characters of the type-wheel H, and premise by stating, as will be hereinafter more distinctly shown, that the movements of the type-wheel thus far explained are made and controlled independently of the movements of the printing mechanism, and that the impressions are taken when said wheel is at rest.

The platen dismounted upon the upper end of an arm, D, that has its bearings on a pivot secured in the frame A, and is made in the form of an elbow-lever, which I denominate the vibrating printing or platen lever. The platen consists of a roller which revolves freely on its gudgeons, and it has its hearings in slots (1*, (see Fig. 1,) which bear on these gudgeons and serve to set the platen square with the faces of the types on the type-wheel, so that a full and even impression is obtained. The upright arm of the printing-lever is made in two parts, which are connected together by a pivot, d,- and a set-screw, d, in combination with a spring, (1, serves to adjust the platen in the proper relation to the type-wheel. The horizontal arm ofthe printing-lever carries the armature 13* of the printing-magnets E, and the stroke of said printing-lever is adjusted by double set-serews (1 (See Fig. 1.) The impression is taken on a strip, Z, of paper or other suitable material, and this strip passes over the platen d and between the same and the type-wheel, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The feed-motion of the paper is effected by means of pawls g g, which are attached to the printing-lever and act upon a ratchet-wheel, gfl-being drawn against the circumference of this wheel by a spring, 9 Said ratchet-wheel is mounted on a horizontal shaft, 9 which extends through the side of the frame A, and carries a drum, 9 in the plane of the typewheel, and the face of this drum is serrated, so that it is enabled to carry the strip of paper along. This strip is held down upon the serrated circumference of the drum by springfingers a, which are fastened to a bracket projecting from the frame A, and which are pressed down toward the drum by set-screws a. (See Fig. 1.) The shape of these fingers is best seen in Fig. 4, and it will be readily understood that the same serve t-hedouble purpose of guiding the strip of paper and of pressing it down upon the serrated surface of the drum 9.

By the vibration of the printing-lever, as its armatures are attracted or released by the printing-magngts, the paper is fed along in front of the type, the movements of the paper taking place partly before and partly after the impression has been made, since at every forward and backward .stroke of the printinglever, caused by the attraction of its armature and the recoil of the spring (1, the pawls g g are caused to act upon the ratchet-wheel g The strip. of paper or other material upon which the impressions are made is taken from a reel, (not shown in the drawings,) and it passes up between the tension-rollers e and through between a guideroller, e, and the platen to the feed drum 9. The tensionrollers e have their bearings in a bracket attached to the bottom part of the frame A, and

they are pressed against each other byaspring, e taut and flat, and it is made to pass in a vertical direction through between the platen and the inking-ribbon f, and it is then carried directly onward in a horizontal plane, or nearly so, thereby exposing to view in a very prompt and convenient manner the letters, numerals, fractions, and other characters as rapidly as they are printed.

In order to obtain the requisite force for producing the impressions an additional armature, E*, is applied to the printing-lever D,

and this armature acts in conjunction with the additional printing-magnets E, the connection of which with the other magnets and with the battery will be hereinafter more fully explained,

Two magnets are used instead of one, because a greater attractive force is thus obtained from thesame resistance of circuit than would be obtained by winding the coils around a single core. These two magnets EEdo the press work by their direct action, and by the cooperation of the recoil of the retraetive spring the paper is fed along. The magnets G G, which operate the type-wheel, do the composing and inking by selecting and setting the types in proper positions to be printed from and bringing a fresh surface ofthe inking-ribbon in operation, and after this has been done the magnets E Eperform the presswork by supplying the blank paper, impressing and removing the impression out of the way of the next impression, and exposing it conveniently to view for being read.

When it is desired to work several instruments in unison on the same circuit, I apply to the arbor H of the type-wheel an adjustable collar, H provided with a toe, h. Opposite to that toe I secure a tooth, h, in the end of a lever, H*, which has its fulcrum 011 ashaft, h", and which carries two armatures, h, which present their edges to the sides of the cores of the printing-magnets E E, so that they do not interfere with the action of the frontarmatures, 13* E*, of the printing-lever. (See Fig. 3.) A spring, h, holds the lever Hback. so that the tooth h will clear the toe h; but if the upper end of the lever H is only slightly depressed the tooth h intercepts the toe h By this arrangement the strip Z is kept and stops the type-wheel in any given position, according to the position previously given to the toe ht. If, therefore, a light current is passed through the printing-magnets E of a number of instruments and the typewheels are caused to revolve until the toes h of the several instruments are intercepted by. the tooth h on the stop-levers,the type-wheels of the several instruments will be brought into unison, provided the collars H have been properly adjusted. This result is especially Valuable in working a system of instruments in reporting, since, on account of the slight force necessary to operate this stop-lever, a separate circuit is not required, asa light current can be thrown through the printingmagnets over their circuit without imparting any motion to the press-lever, as will be more clearly understood from the subsequent explanation of the manipulations of the currents.

I will now proceed to explain the connection of the various magnets and manipulations of the circuits.

In Figs. 2, 4, and 5 are shown two pairs of springs, r 1', a detached view of one pair of which is represented in Fig. 6. These springs are secured to beds it, of hard rubber, and are provided with platinized ends a a, which bear against the points 13 and 11 or 10 and 12. The current always goes in on one of these springs and out of the other of each pair, and the course of the current is determined by the position of the lower platinized ends of said springs. \Vhen the current goes through the springs 0- and r, Fig. 5, and the points 13 and 1 1, the magnet G is charged and its armature is attracted, and the stud j", secured in the armature-lever J, (see Fig. 2,) pushes the springs 1' and 1" back against the points 17 and 18 and holds them there till the circuit is broken, when the lever J and the springs i and r are allowed to fall back to their original position, causing said springs to bear on the points 15 and 16; bntwhile the springs r and 1'' bear against the points 15 and 16, their circuit is completed through thetype-wheel magnet G, and while said springs are in contact with the points 17 and 18 the circuit is established through the printingmagnets E *1. Thesame holds true of the opposite side, each type-wheel magnet, when and while being charged, switching the other typewheel magnet out of circuit and the printing magnets into circuit, as will be presentlymore fully explained.

The course of the current from the battery is controlled by the keys 1 2 3, Fig. 5. The keys 2 and 3 throw on the entire batterycurrent, but the effect of the key 1 can be changed by the switch 8. If this switch is brought over the button 5, then only a part of the battery is thrown on; but ifthe switch 8 is brought in contact with the button 8 the whole battery is thrown on. The key 1 connects with the binding-screws 6 and 7, the key 2 with the vbindingscrews 4 and 5, and the key 3 with the binding-screws S and 9. \Vhen the key 3 is closed, the key 2 being open, the current of the entire battery passes from the pole B through the wires 25 and 21, binding-screw 8, wire 28, spring r, screw 13, to the magnet G, and back through screw 14, spring 1*, wire 27, key 3, and wire 23 to the opposite pole, B, of the battery, thereby operating the type-wheel one step (at each closure) to the left or in a retrograde direction. If the key 3 is opened and the key 2 is closed, the current passes from the battery through binding-screw 4, wire 25, spring r screw 16, magnet G, and back through screw 15, spring 1, wire 26, key 2, and wire 23 to the battery, operating the type-wheel to the rightor in a forward direction; but if the key 3 be first closed, and while it is kept closed the key 2 be closed, the current of key 2 will not go through the typewheel magnet G, but through the printing magnets E E, as follows: 13, 4, 25, 17, 20, E, 19, E, 18, 26, 8, key 2, 23, B, and as long as the key 3 is kept closed the closing and opening of key 2 will not operate the type-wheel, but the'printing mechanism, because the 010s ing of key 3 causes the current-springs r and r to be pushed from the points 15 and 16 against the points 17 and 1'8, and thus cuts the type-wheel magnet G out of circuit; but the instant the key 3 is opened the springs 1' and r fall back against the points 15 and 16, and the circuit through the type-wheel magnet G is estahlished, (provided the key 2 be closed.) In like manner, if the key 2 be first closed and kept closed, the manipulation of the key 3 will not operate the printing-magnet G, but the printing-magnets E E, and thus each of the keys 2 and 3 may be used to print for the other. Each of them, while the other is open, operates its type-wheel magnet and that alone, and while the other is closed each operates the printing-magnets and them alone, and hence my instrument with its peculiar advance and retrograde movements is capable of doing its complete work as a printer with two wires. If desired, however, my instrument maybe worked with three wires, and in this case the key 1 is brought into operation. By closing this key the current passes from pole B through 25 21 6 22 20, magnet E, 19, magnet E, 19 21 7, key 1, switch 8, button 3 to pole B, the entire force of the battery being applied to do the press-work; butif the switch sis brought on the button 8, then a small battery force is exerted that will leave the printing mechanism inoperative, but is sufficient to deflect the stop-lever H", the operation and object of which have been previouslydescribed. The stop-lever will of course also act when the printing-current is thrown on; but as the type-wheel is then at rest it makes no difference even if its tooth comes against the toe of the collar H", for when the circuit is broken at key 1 all the armatures of the printingmagnets, whether on the faces or sides of their cores, are at once retracted, thus clearing the printing-lever from the face of the type-wheel and the tooth of the stop-lever from the path of the toe of the collar H and leaving the type-wheelperfectly free to move under the i mpulse of its proper magnets in either direction.

By providing each double-action printer with six binding-screws and three wires any number of such instruments may be placed in line and operated simultaneously and automatically, delivering their messages wherever placed, only one single set of three keys or their equivalents and a single operator being required for the performance of the entire work of transmitting such intelligence as it may be desired to communicate.

\Vhere it is found expedient to operate the instruments with local batteries, each wire of the three main lines would require its own relay for each local circuit.

My plan of building the lines is to use a continuous unbroken metallic circuit without the use of ground-circuit at all, as the liability of derangement is thereby lessened and the instruments can be located all along the lines going out and coming back.

I am aware that thetype-wheels of telegraphic printing-instruments have heretofore been moved step by step by means of clockwork controlled by magnet-pallets and otherwise, and also by the armature-lever of an electro magnet, but always in one direction only. In allsuch instruments, however, which have heretofore come under my observation,

a single wire was considered a sine qua now and I have only quite recently found more than one wire in the instrument described by Henry N. Baker in his patent dated April 29, 1856. He distinctly sets forth two circuits and two keys-one for operating the typewheel step by step-and the other for taking impressions from the types while the typewheel is at rest.

I do not therefore claim as my invention the use of separate circuits or currents-one for operating the printing mechanism and the other for operatingthe type-wheel; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination,with the type-wheel H, in a telegraphic printing apparatus, of mechanism, substantially such as described, for imparting to said wheel a step-by-step-motion in an advance or retrograde direction, as set forth.

2. The endless inking-ribbon passing between the type and paper, in combination with the type-wheel and printing-lever of a telegraphic printer, substantially in the manner set forth.

3. Imparting to the endless inking-ribbon of a telegraphic printing-instrument a feed motion by gearing from the type-wheel shaft, substantially as described.

4. The ink-fountain F, in combination with the endless inking-ribbon, type-wheel, and printing-lever of a telegraphic printer, substantially as set forth.

5. The endless inkingribbon combined with a cylindrical weight, F, substantially as specified, for maintaining the proper tension on said ribbon, as specified.

6. The arm of the printing-lever which carries the impression-roller, made in two parts connected by a hinge-joint and controlled by a spring and set-screw, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. The serrated drum 9, ratchet-wheel g, and pawls 99, in combination with the printing-lever D and its" recoil-spring, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. Two magnets arranged to act in the manner specified upon the impressionlever, in combination with the type-wheel, substantially as specified.

9. The unison lever HZ operated by an 'independent electric circuit, in combination with the typewheel or indicating device actuated by a separate electrical circuit, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. The arrangement of an armature acting upon the side of the core of an electromagnet in addition to the armature acting on the face of said core, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The electrical circuits for effecting an advance or retrograde movement of the typewheel, in combination with the separate elec trical circuit for effecting the printing, substantially as specified.

12. The electrical circuits arranged and connected, substantially as specified, for effecting an advance or retrograde movement of the type-wheel, and either serving to give the impression when the other circuit is closed, substantially as specified.

13. A type-wheel containing letters, figures, and fractions or fractional signs to be impressed upon a strip of paper by magnetism, substantially as specified.

' S. S. LAWS.

\Vi tnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

